--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man does what must be done,' Karl said…" description: "\"“A man does what must be done,' Karl said, trying to concentrate on his board-making. \"But you never complain.\" 'What good would complaining do? A job ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/lavyrle-spencer-26721_complaining_a-man-does-what-must-be-done-karl-said-t_2693494.jpg" --- # A man does what must be done,' Karl said, trying to… ![“A man does what must be done,' Karl said, trying to concentrate on his board-making. "But you never complain." 'What good would complaining do? A job takes so many hours of work, complaining will not shorten those hours.” quote by LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/lavyrle-spencer-26721_complaining_a-man-does-what-must-be-done-karl-said-t_2693494.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/lavyrle-spencer-26721_complaining_a-man-does-what-must-be-done-karl-said-t_2693494.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/lavyrle-spencer-26721_complaining_a-man-does-what-must-be-done-karl-said-t_2693494.jpg) > ““A man does what must be done,' Karl said, trying to concentrate on his board-making. "But you never complain." 'What good would complaining do? A job takes so many hours of work, complaining will not shorten those hours.”” [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character emphasizes diligent work without complaint, suggesting that complaining is ineffective and only hard work reduces workload. **In simple terms:** Work hard and don’t complain; complaints don’t shorten work. Key Takeaway Focus on effort, not grievance. Themes work ethic complaint productivity discipline time management Mood pragmatic serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - job interviews - project deadlines - personal productivity Key Concepts self‑help organizational behavior philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Is silence always best? - How to address systemic problems? A Different Perspective Complaining can signal issues needing change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [When you want something really bad, crying for it isn't going to work nearly as good as complaining!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/when-you-want-something-really-bad-crying-for-it-isn-t-going-to-work/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Raising the standard of the work, not complaining about somebody not voting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-complaining-about-somebody-not/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [“Children are spending too much time on gadgets. That’s gotta have some sort of effect on something and it makes for good complaining.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-burgundy/children-are-spending-too-much-time-on-gadgets-that-s-gotta-have-some/) [Ron Burgundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-burgundy/) > [Of course, there are races that have been boring but overall it's been really good so I'm not complaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valtteri-bottas/of-course-there-are-races-that-have-been-boring-but-overall-it-s-been/) [Valtteri Bottas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valtteri-bottas/) > [When you serve your mother and father it is okay to try to correct them once in a while. But if you see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-serve-your-mother-and-father-it-is-okay-to-try-to-correct/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I work in between complaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cazzie-david/i-work-in-between-complaining/) [Cazzie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cazzie-david/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/but-if-people-will-laugh-at-my-work-and-keep-a-sound-roof-over-my/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/) [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) ## More by LaVyrle Spencer > [“Will asked Miss Beasley what kind of man Glendon Dinsmore had been and she answered, as different from you as air is from earth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/will-asked-miss-beasley-what-kind-of-man-glendon-dinsmore-had-been/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [“The value of affection going up when it was in short supply”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/the-value-of-affection-going-up-when-it-was-in-short-supply/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [She writhed between him and the door and he moved his mouth to her ear, whispering hoarsely, "Abbie, I'm going to take you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/she-writhed-between-him-and-the-door-and-he-moved-his-mouth-to-her/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [“Yessir, it's a hard taskmaster, that guilt. I say, feel it, and wriggle a little bit if you have to, but then put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/yessir-it-s-a-hard-taskmaster-that-guilt-i-say-feel-it-and-wriggle-a/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [“A good logger does not raze the forest, but only thins it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/a-good-logger-does-not-raze-the-forest-but-only-thins-it/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [“You...you loved her, didn't you, Pa?” Theodore sighed, and kept staring at the horses' rumps. “Oh, I loved her, all right,” he answered. “A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/you-you-loved-her-didn-t-you-pa-theodore-sighed-and-kept-staring-at/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [Lizzy, Will thought. Lizzy P. 'You n me gonna be buddies, darlin'. He stretched one hand to Elly's hair, and circled Donald Wade's rump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/lizzy-will-thought-lizzy-p-you-n-me-gonna-be-buddies-darlin-he/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [“Will fired the shoes like two orange grenades into the alley, pushed her outside and offered in parting, "If you're in heat, Lula, go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/will-fired-the-shoes-like-two-orange-grenades-into-the-alley-pushed/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [“he was supposed to be reading, but it was impossible. She had done something”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/he-was-supposed-to-be-reading-but-it-was-impossible-she-had-done/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [“It seems you are the kind of squaw those Indians would like to have, but make sure they don't! One who keeps her men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/it-seems-you-are-the-kind-of-squaw-those-indians-would-like-to-have/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [She's had so little love, Jesse thought, I will drown her in it for the rest of her life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/she-s-had-so-little-love-jesse-thought-i-will-drown-her-in-it-for-the/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [Touch me, he thought, my arm, my hand, a finger. Let me know it's all right for me to have these feelings for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/touch-me-he-thought-my-arm-my-hand-a-finger-let-me-know-it-s-all/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [“Sometimes we must do things, plenty scared or not. To be able to say afterward,'I was plenty scared'makes a man a bigger man, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/sometimes-we-must-do-things-plenty-scared-or-not-to-be-able-to-say/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [“Could you say it once," he entreated, "like they say people do?" Her heart beat like the wings of an eagle, taking her soaring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/could-you-say-it-once-he-entreated-like-they-say-people-do-her-heart/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [“Life must not be squandered. A person got from life what he put ino it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/life-must-not-be-squandered-a-person-got-from-life-what-he-put-ino-it/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) [Explore all 16 LaVyrle Spencer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) ## More Complaining quotes > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/) [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/but-if-people-will-laugh-at-my-work-and-keep-a-sound-roof-over-my/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You shouldn't get to live in society and give nothing back. People complain about their taxes, yet they do nothing for the community. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/you-shouldn-t-get-to-live-in-society-and-give-nothing-back-people/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [Once the war began, the government could do anything 'necessary' to win it; so it was with the 'final solution of the Jewish problem,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-mayer/once-the-war-began-the-government-could-do-anything-necessary-to-win/) [Milton Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-mayer/) > [I'll tell you that the dog whistle politics is badly missing the mark. Because, you know, as I've been speaking about it, sure, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naheed-nenshi/i-ll-tell-you-that-the-dog-whistle-politics-is-badly-missing-the-mark/) [Naheed Nenshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naheed-nenshi/) Browse all 1,994 Complaining quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A man does what must be done,' Karl said, trying to concentrate on his board-making. \"But you never complain.\" 'What good would complaining do? 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